Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response Team Updates Situation in American Samoa

Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response Team Updates Situation in American
Samoa

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA's
disaster response team on the ground in American Samoa reports a "huge
continuing need" to provide basic life-sustaining and shelter necessities such
as water, food and tents for the victims of the tsunami/earthquake that hit 12
days ago. Teaming with other relief organizations, Catholic Charities USA and
locally-based Catholic Social Services are operating a series of Community
Distribution Sites to insure that goods and supplies donated by American Red
Cross and others immediately get to all of the outlying villages and people.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081008/CCUSALOGO)

In addition, Catholic Charities USA has contacted the National Coalition for
Children in Disasters to help find mental health counseling for school-age
children who have been traumatized by the loss of life and home. The need is
for a private voluntary non-profit group with a specialty in this area to
partner with Catholic Social Services to provide short term mental health
counseling to children. Forty percent of the island's population are children.

Beginning this past Monday (October 12), members of the Catholic Charities
response team visited remote areas and villages spanning the entire island to
deliver water and snacks directly to anyone and everyone in need.
Communications and delivery processes to reach those in need remain
challenged. As with Katrina -- and last year's Ike -- Catholic Charities USA
is committed to a presence in American Samoa.

To provide donations to support the Catholic Charities USA critical relief
efforts in American Samoa, please go to http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

Catholic Charities USA's members -- more than 1,700 local Catholic Charities
agencies and institutions nationwide -- provide help and create hope for 8.5
million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic
backgrounds. For almost 300 years, Catholic Charities agencies have worked to
reduce poverty by providing a myriad of vital services in their communities,
ranging from health care and job training to food and housing. In 2010,
Catholic Charities USA celebrates its centennial anniversary. For more
information, visit www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA

Roger Conner of Catholic Charities USA, +1-703-236-6218,
rconner@catholiccharitiesusa.org